


A Long-term Plot

by bmouse



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Moderately Severe Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-27
Updated: 2013-06-27
Packaged: 2017-12-16 07:38:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/859567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bmouse/pseuds/bmouse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"How long do people live? In your family?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Long-term Plot

"How long do people live? In your family?"

They were sitting on the porch, him in a proper sitting position and his housemate with his delicate Human feet dangling down over the edge. A sloped old-fashioned awning protected them from the hissing rain. He looked out into the garden that was standing valiantly against the million little blows, tilting his head slightly to show he'd heard the question and was just taking his time with the answer. 

The rain was severe. As if the weather had overheard, despite their best efforts, about the atmospheric scrubber skynets that had recently been finished and approved and was spitefully determined to dump its' poison all at once while it still had any power. He had moved the tarps over the rows of edibles - the decorative plants would have to fend for themselves. Hopefully tomorrow the pale blue ocina trees would be grooved with acid scars but everything under their canopy would be spared the worst of it. 

The outside of the house would be very clean, of course. Building facades on Cardassia were very clean and beautiful these days (at least those that remained standing) even as the rain left freckles and tracks on People's bodies. 

"Does the weather invite such a question?" It wasn't quite an answer but his thread of thought had left him feeling contrary.

"Rain, Renewal - appropriate for contemplating the life cycle and planning with forethought for the health of the individual's Family, and by extension, the State" was the cheeky reply, quoted perfectly word-for-word.

This made him smile down at his teacup, it did him good to be reminded how formidable his Julian could be when given a proper breadth of research material. He was right, it was time to consider the matter. Unlike the wide variation in ethnicity and various continental strains, factoring in diet, rank, enemies, the stability of a marriage or other factors that could extend a Cardassian's life as easily as they could shorten it, modern Humans had a rather consistent range. Augments, as usual, had to do things just a little bit better, to go further. 'Flaunting', as one highly classified research report had put it, their disregard for the natural bell curve of decline but even with all that accounted for he knew he could only expect about a hundred forty five more years. Realistically one hundred and thirty with good health and a high chance of full mobility. 

One hundred thirty Human years, one hundred and eight of his own.

It will be enough. Considering how often in his genteel imprisonment he'd been afraid of dying a decrepit, toothless old man far from home, a prompt and graceful exit seems like a welcome alternative. Yes, such a pity, scale deadening and rheumatism will have to do without him.

"We Garaks live dangerously, unfortunately. Mother was barely a hundred and seventy but I can't imagine outliving her." He said it casually but with certainty, as if he could no more control his limited years than pluck the fragile irises out of the downpour.

He looked over and nearly choked on a laugh. Julian’s face was so mournful. Oh his mouth was firm and he was trying - it might have served with another Human or someone who didn’t know him so well but his eyebrows kept creeping slightly together and the line of his neck was dejection itself.

Well, here was the disadvantage of that wider research base - he could no longer count on his friend’s knowledge gaps to make these things convenient. 

Considering how long it had taken them to meet again, the continents (continents! really, how stubborn of him) Julian had crossed before coming to the old house with the irises he must know more about Cardassian health and physiology than any Human before. (Starfeet had missed an enormous tactical advantage and now they would _never get him back_ ) Certainly he must have seen how in some remote agrarian provinces even shorter-lived men could last well into their two hundreds.

Turning back towards the garden he gave his companion a moment to find his people’s famous ‘stiff upper lip’. 

"Right. Well.” Julian started decisively “Bright candles burn briefest and all that. Frankly I won't last forever either. Give me a good one thirty - one thirty five and it's off to pasture for even for Esteemed State Healer Bashir. It all works out pretty well actually..." 

His eyes turned sharp.

Garak maintained his most neutral, innocent face out of principle. His only warning was Julian’s teacup set forcefully right next to his own before a hand cupped his cheek and what else could he do but shut his eyes and press his nose into its’ warm palm. 

Clearly his former protege had remembered the lessons on exploiting weakness because now two strong brown arms were pinning his own down against his sides and he was helpless, could do absolutely nothing while Julian embraced him with a force that pressed them both into the support pillar, fingers fisting in the fabric of his thin summer shirt. All the better for Garak to hear how his lovely voice had gone hoarse, whispering “Did you think that would fool me for even a second? Honestly, what am I going to do with you?” and “...you hopeless bloody romantic” in between hot, quick kisses just under his ear and for once he decided it would be better not to say something clever and let his friend speak.

Later, when Julian was asleep and Garak had spent some time at the mercy of every tender gesture in his arsenal, he noticed idly that the night that followed the evening was quiet and still and that they had outlasted the rain.

 

-end-


End file.
